The Gaming Experiment

This weekend I am hoping to catch up on some of the games that I have recently added to my pile, but haven't had a chance to finish.

So I will be putting some time into Mass Effect 2 and Bioshock 2. In the past, I have used the early part of the year to catch up on some of the games that I wasn't able to get to from the fall of the previous year.

But these first couple months have been crazy for game releases. Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, Bayonetta, and next week heavy rain, and in March, Final Fantasy 13.

This is too tough for me to pick what I should play. But I suppose that this is a good problem to have.

What are you guys hoping to play this weekend?

I'll be disconnected from the site for a couple days because I am moving into my new house, and there won't be internet access.

But I hope to use the internet at my new house to write about my Predictions of 2010 (pronounced Twenty Ten), the games of last year that I hope to finish this year, and a lot more!

Thanks guys!

2009 was a great year for downloadable games. From Xbox live to WiiWare to Steam, downloadable games made their mark on the videogame landscape. I definitely partook in my share of the downloadable titles, definitely some bad, some good, and some really great games.
Here are my top five downloadable games. For this category, I need to make it clear that I am only looking at games that were only available through downloading. So games like Plants vs Zombies are not eligible because there was also a retail release.

5) Torchlight (Steam)

I’ve been to Blizzcon and loved it there, but I was probably the only attendant that never played any of the Diablo games. Torchlight was made by a small company that led by the creators of the original the Diablo games.
I downloaded this one from Steam and put in 15 hours or so into the game. There are three class types, warrior, ranger, and mage.

Torchlight is a dungeon crawler that is all about loot. Almost every monster gives you loot and the anticipation of the next epic loot kept me going. The style of the game is cartoony and similar to World of Warcraft. For fans of Diablo, this is a must buy, and for first timers, this seems to be a great starting point.

The game has been discounted on Steam for $10, this is a real no brainer. Download it now.

4) Splosion Man (Xbox Live)

Splosion Man came out of left field. The second game from Twisted Pixel Games is humorous, unique, and challenging. The concept is pretty simple, you are Splosion Man, a human experiment that well, can splode (explode).

You have to get through the stages in the lab where you have been experimented on. One thing though, you don’t jump, you explode to propel yourself through the stages. This is definitely a fun platformer that needs to be played, because I can’t explain this crazy game well enough of give it the justice it deserves.

Plus it has the best song in a game all year! This is an Xbox live exclusive, and you can pick it up for $10

3) Pixel Junk Shooter (PSN)

This is the fourth Pixel Junk game, and by far their best. This is a PSN exclusive that came out in early December. There is little story, but you are a ship that needs to save some stranded workers.

What really makes this game fun is it’s gameplay. It uses environmental elements like lava, water, gas, and oil to create a unique puzzle game. Again, this game needs less explaining, and needs to be seen to be understood.

Check out the video below to see what I mean.

2) Flower (PSN)

This is one of the most beautiful games I have ever seen. You are a flower petal, and need to re-animate the land that you are in. The music is fantastic and really one of the best parts of the game.

I like to jump into this game as a method to relax. This is a definite showcase title for PSN and the kind of graphics we can expect to see going forward on the service.

Check out this video.

1) Shadow Complex (Xbox Live)

Like I said earlier, this was a standout year for downloadable games. Shadow complex is my downloadable game of the year. This is a fantastic looking game, not only looked great for a $15 title, but was an amazing value proposition with more than 8 hours of game play and a lot of reasons to come back and complete the game to 100%.

If you are connected to Xbox Live, you owe it to yourself to play this game.

My thanksgiving weekend started yesterday with a lot of Modern Warfare 2. So far I haven't really enjoyed the single player experience, but the multiplayer portions are phenomenal. I still haven't played Spec Ops, but the online is great!

As a family, we've been able to play some Wii games like Dead Space Extraction, and Mario Galaxy.

What games are you playing this week?

Next week, stateside, it will be Thanksgiving. A time to look back and be thankful of what crops we have yielded. But seriously, for the last couple weeks, work has not only be draining, difficult, and frustrating, but it has really squeezed all my gaming time to nil.

But Thanksgiving means that I will have some serious game time.

I am hoping to play some Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and some Uncharteed 2.

What are you guys playing over the next week or so?

After several weeks of trying, I finally finished Batman Arkham Asylum on the PS3. The game was developed by Rocksteady Studios, a small UK based studio that made Urban Chaos for the original Xbox and PS2.

This game was definitely getting a lot of buzz in the months leading the release in late August. I’ve always been a huge fan of Batman. I loved the comics, movies, and animated series. Sure, there have been some examples of bad Batman, but overall my love for the caped crusader has been abundantly positive.

There have been some bad videogame adaptations of comic book properties for a while now. I’m looking at you Superman 64!

Batman: Arkham Asylum starts out amazing, and with a few small issues, remains fun, fast paced and varied throughout your entire 8-10 play through. Arkham Asylum is where Gotham City sends all their criminals. You may remember Arkham Asylum from the comics or from Batman Begins where Dr. Crane (aka Scarecrow) is the head. During the game you’ll meet some characters from the comics, and they are voiced by the actors in the animated series. The voice acting is worth the price of admission alone.

You start off the game with an amazing opening video/interactive intro. You capture your nemesis Joker and bring him to Arkham. As you walk Joker down through the asylum, he is shooting off his mouth, and you are able to get a first taste of what you’re in for. You’ll meet the new head of the Asylum, and meet some of the staff. Once joker is securely in the asylum, that’s when things get a bit crazy. There’s an inside job, and the Joker is free and has taken the new warden and your old friend Commissioner Gordon hostage. You’re job is to stop the joker and regain control of the asylum. Throughout your journey, you’ll meet several enemies that I thought we well designed and actually played an interesting role in advancing the story. I actually really enjoyed the story, the nods to Batman fiction were really great too.

The gameplay was great too. Batman is the caped crusader that works from the shadows, and the game requires you to play as such. Using your gadgets and grappling hook to evade, trap, and neutralize your enemies. There is a visor option called 'Detective Mode' that allows batman to see through walls, and pinpoints the locations or enemies and alternative routes. This mode was a really cool addition, however, there was no motivation to turn it off and really enjoy the fantastic art style and graphics. You be able to use a number of gadgets throughout the game like the Baterang, Grappling Hook, Foam Explosives, and bomb defusing equipment.

Overall the game is really great and on my short list for game of the year! You have to Add it to the pile . Here's hoping that Rocksteady comes back with another great game.

Have you played it yet? Let me know in the comments what you've thought about it!

Its been a rough couple days at work and I haven't been able to write anything. But I beat Batman last week, finally, so the review will be up tomorrow!

Have a cool week.